images in refrence material

[jonsharland]

Hi,
I want to add an image to my refrence material - one of my friends has created a really cool martial arts diagrams and I want to be able to add them to the refrence material section.

So the question is how do I add images to it - I have edited it before and added new kit etc but I want to need to add pictures - any ideas ?

Jon

[sloejack]

Hi,
I want to add an image to my refrence material - one of my friends has created a really cool martial arts diagrams and I want to be able to add them to the refrence material section.

So the question is how do I add images to it - I have edited it before and added new kit etc but I want to need to add pictures - any ideas ?

Jon

This is only a guess since I haven't tried it myself but since the material is presented in html format you might be able to do something like:

<img src=file:///path/to/image>

[Snikle]

That doesnt work. Any other ideas? I have tried a handfull and cannot get FG to render images.

[tdwyer11b]

Only thing I can think of in the current version is to make it a shareable sheet like maps and such. I wanted to do the same with an alignment diagram but couldnt find any way to do it.

[Toadwart]

Might not be quite what you arr trying to do but in the windowclass used to display the reference info you can use a staticgraphic node to include an image.


<staticgraphic>
<bounds rect="170,20,80,60" />
<icon name="AnImage" />
</staticgraphic>

This assumes that "AnImage" has been defined somewhere else (e.g. in d20_graphics.xml) as:


<icon name="AnImage" file="rulesets/MyCustomRuleset/icons/AnImage.png" />

[Snikle]

Nope, trying to get an image to appear in the Ruleset, say in the classes.xml file. Looked at a few normal xml options to display images and nothing has worked.

[tdwyer11b]

Might not be quite what you arr trying to do but in the windowclass used to display the reference info you can use a staticgraphic node to include an image.


<staticgraphic>
<bounds rect="170,20,80,60" />
<icon name="AnImage" />
</staticgraphic>

This assumes that "AnImage" has been defined somewhere else (e.g. in d20_graphics.xml) as:


<icon name="AnImage" file="rulesets/MyCustomRuleset/icons/AnImage.png" />



Yeah, I was thinking this might work also, instead of having the link box, use another image and remove the code that deals with with switching the graphic when clicking and linking info.

[Zakarius]

Nope, trying to get an image to appear in the Ruleset, say in the classes.xml file. Looked at a few normal xml options to display images and nothing has worked.

The /data/icons/footer_wide.png which appears at the bottom of any window called up from the references can of course be changed, but I can't get any additional images to show up within the references. It appears as if these types of images have to be defined as headers and footers wherever the window is initially set up. The combattracker's header and footer also follow this pattern:


<windowclass name="combattracker">

.
.
<sheetdata>

<staticgraphic>

<bounds rect="19,20,480,7" />
<icon name="tracker_heading" />
</staticgraphic>
<staticgraphic>

<bounds rect="120,-28,287,9" />
<icon name="tracker_footer" />
</staticgraphic>
<windowlist class="combattracker_entry" name="list">
.
.


I believe it's the <windowlist> tag which allows the insertion of the various nodes which comprise the window's dynamic data. As for the <windowclass name="class"> defined in d20_reference.xml, the <footer image="footer_wide" /> is defined within the <formattedtextcontrol name="text"> tag. Thus, although I think it'd be cool to be able to add racial images next to the racial headings, it doesn't seem possible.

Kudos to anyone who can figure out how to pull it off!

[Snikle]

Well, I have a message from someone that claims to have done it in one of their commercial products and said "Well ... if you buy our ********* Ruleset you can find out." So apparently it is possible, but he doesn't want to share.
I plan on continuing to work it and perhaps I will figure it out. Will let you all know if/when I do.

[Thore_Ironrock]

Well, I have a message from someone that claims to have done it in one of their commercial products and said "Well ... if you buy our ********* Ruleset you can find out." So apparently it is possible, but he doesn't want to share.
I plan on continuing to work it and perhaps I will figure it out. Will let you all know if/when I do.

First off "Mr. Jackson", if you look at the message I sent you'll see it was full of winks and smiles, and even an off-handed offer to do some work for my company. It is funny that you didn't mention that in your viper-like posting that basically bashed my company and the hard work my developers do. YOU make it sound like I was purposely waving it in your face like some freshly caught fish, which we both know is not the case.

Also, in case you didn't notice, two of MY developers were trying to help the community solve this problem, though it is evident that they forgot we solved this already -- at least I know Toadwart did (as Tim is newer to our group). For some reason you don't mention that either, Mr. Jackson.

Up until your completely disrespectiful posting I was about to give the community the code, but now I'm not so sure if all I get in return for it is an ungracious stab in the back. I would think that Digital Adventures and its team of developers would garnish a bit more respect considering what we have given to this community in the past, whether it commercial in nature or not.

And lastly, I noticed that my private message box was empty when I got home today Mr. Jackson, and there was no request in any way politely asking me if I would post the code. Perhaps you should have tried that angle before coming at me guns blazing.

So, before you point your impertinence in my direction perhaps you had better had better question your own ethics, and try and have a little more respect for your fellow gamer.

[Zane_Marlowe]

Well, I have a message from someone that claims to have done it in one of their commercial products and said "Well ... if you buy our ********* Ruleset you can find out." So apparently it is possible, but he doesn't want to share.
I plan on continuing to work it and perhaps I will figure it out. Will let you all know if/when I do.

You know, there's an interesting story about that particular bit of code.

That feature was something I wanted to include in the MSRD I developed that Digital Adventures was originally going to release as a commercial product, but then you announced that you were going to undertake the project and release it for free. It was clear that whenever we released the project, it would have to be free since you'd undercut the thing after it was announced. I ended up hurrying the product out the door because neither Kevin nor I could afford to spend more time on it than absolutely necessary since there was no more incentive. While other projects were on the slate we'd made a promise to the community to release our product, and we kept that promise, but I didn't get to work out the code for the image feature or include it in the MSRD build.

Kevin lost on that project since he actually paid me for the months of work that I did (between my regular job commitments) and got nothing for his hard work but a great product that hopefully would garner him some goodwill in the community by being released for free. I felt really bad that he wouldn't be able to see anything on the back end, and so (I thought) maybe it would be a nice thing if I could work out how to do images and pass that code along so he could wow everyone with the licensed products that did include retail art. This I did, and he included it in a subsequent licensed product.

So now Kevin's shown reluctance to share code from a product he IS making some money on, and you want to tell us all that he's some kind of stingy person for doing so when you could figure it out for yourself? I GAVE him that so he could do EXACTLY what he IS doing RIGHT NOW!

I'll tell you what. I honestly have no idea what Kevin's final intentions are for the code, and to be honest, although I could reconstruct it here for you and everyone to see, I'd rather let him enjoy the whatever community goodwill follows such disclosure (if he chooses to do that) since I think he deserves at least that much (if he wants it) after losing his shorts on the other project thanks to you.

So in short, if you want to point the finger at someone for "not sharing," then point it here. As you can see, I'm more than happy to explain why.

[Zakarius]

<ducks head trying to avoid the massive egos being tossed around>

[Ram Tyr]

To move this thread back on topic...

Let's remember the original question and if someone figures this out and is able to share, I'm certain more users would find this helpful.

Later.
Ramza

[Thore_Ironrock]

To move this thread back on topic...

Let's remember the original question and if someone figures this out and is able to share, I'm certain more users would find this helpful.

Later.
Ramza

Actually, that is the issue here Ram. You see, I was more than "able" and willing to share the code until a certain insulting message was posted. That was my whole point in messaging Snikle in the first place for crying out loud. In fact, I was right in the middle of an email to tell Stuart to post the code ... when I was unceremoniously shot in the back.

Has anyone thought to email me and ask, politely, if I would consider sharing the code with the community ... no. My mailbox is, disappointingly, empty.

You might be surprised how far you'll get in life if you just ask.

" One of the greatest victories you can gain over someone is to beat him at politeness. -- Josh Billings"

[Ram Tyr]

To move this thread back on topic...

Let's remember the original question and if someone figures this out and is able to share, I'm certain more users would find this helpful.

Later.
Ramza
If this is not a polite request of the FG community, I am not sure I can manage one.

[Snikle]

If this is not a polite request of the FG community, I am not sure I can manage one.

Or the previous eight requests for it as well (though sure mine don't count now).

[Snikle]

<at the risk of starting a flame war>

Please view the following statement as my own, and not affiliated with FUM in anyway. My issue with “Mr. Melka” is my own and not that of the others at FUM, (sorry G, I couldn’t sit here and read this crap anymore). In fact many other times they have openly disagreed with me, so that said, on to the reply. ;)


First off "Mr. Jackson", if you look at the message I sent you'll see it was full of winks and smiles, and even an off-handed offer to do some work for my company. It is funny that you didn't mention that in your viper-like posting that basically bashed my company and the hard work my developers do. YOU make it sound like I was purposely waving it in your face like some freshly caught fish, which we both know is not the case.

Ya know, I have resisted posting a reply to your asinine reply to me because I wanted to show a bit of professionalism and maturity that obviously you lack, however, I am just tired of your rude, crude, and infantile postings, and personally I am just tired of you. I attempted to show some restraint when I posted my message by not using your name or your ruleset, silly me, I should have just posted your entire message here, I will rectify that now:


Someone mentioned to me you wanted to know how to do this.
Well ... if you buy our Iron Heroes Ruleset you can find out. ;)
... anytime you want to give in to the Dark Side of the Force you just let me know.
8-)

“Full of winks and smiles” aside, frankly, I did feel you were waving it in my face, perhaps I was wrong, but that is the way I read it. A sort of “haha I have it, you can buy my product, or come work for me if you want it.” I thought it purely rude and condescending and consistent with your online persona. Your offer to work for your company, well I made the mistake of offering my services a while back, I completely rescind that offer. I will never, ever in my life work for you “Mr. Melka”, not if my own children were starving and you had the only job I could work. I hate to say that because I really respect and like many of the people you have had working for you and I am saddened by the fact that I won’t be able to work with them now. I dislike you, your business practices, and your general being more than I can fathom to put into words.


Also, in case you didn't notice, two of MY developers were trying to help the community solve this problem, though it is evident that they forgot we solved this already -- at least I know Toadwart did (as Tim is newer to our group). For some reason you don't mention that either, Mr. Jackson. Perhaps you should have tried that angle before coming at me guns blazing.

Maybe I am an idiot, but before my ‘oh so rude’ post, there were exactly eight posts asking that very question, in addition to some over at FUM, guess you missed those. Must we beg? I guess I have to send over a box of chocolates and a dozen roses before you cough up the information. And sorry, I don’t know or keep a list of who is working for you this week, I could care less. This is entirely funny really, because I was asking the community, not you, about the code so that I could use it in the FREE ruleset I was working on for my Risk clone for Fantasy Grounds. Oh yeah, and while we are on the subject of free, of course, we must cover the MSRD. Ah yes, the ‘going behind your back’ conspiracy theory:


but then you announced that you were going to undertake the project and release it for free. It was clear that whenever we released the project, it would have to be free since you'd undercut the thing after it was announced.
…..
Kevin lost on that project since he actually paid me for the months of work that I did
…..
after losing his shorts on the other project thanks to you.

Well, now, how’s about a lesson in business. If someone else comes along and offers a similar product that you are working on, too freaking bad. The MSRD is OGL, and therefore any monkey can release it, I can’t help it that myself and the gentleman I worked on it with really took to the product and made it shine. For that matter, we waited many, many weeks before releasing the ruleset, waiting until after “Mr. Melka” released his so as not to upset him anymore. We in now way went out of our way to undercut a product DA was working on, we simply saw the chance to offer a good ruleset to the community to foster better gaming and hopefully pull more people into the Fantasy Ground community. It was his choice to offer it for free, nothing we did forced him to do that. If he lost money on it, well, that was his decision, the fact that someone (hell could have been anyone, and in fact someone else was working on it around or before DA started work on theirs) else came along and beat him to the punch is a fact of life in business. Get over it. Frankly, as the SRD is free, I think it only makes sense to release a free SRD ruleset for FG. I am sorry he lost money on the project, but damn, he is in the business for the money, he expect to always come out #1 and no one would ever challenge him? I wonder when WoTC finally sells the license to do official D&D rulesets to some other company, will DA cry foul? (or will they buy out SW?)


So now Kevin's shown reluctance to share code from a product he IS making some money on, and you want to tell us all that he's some kind of stingy person for doing so when you could figure it out for yourself?
I asked merely if anyone had figured out how to do it, never asked for “industry secrets”, which frankly I don’t think it is. If he knew it as a “trade secret” or something that was making him money, why would he offer it? Or use it as bait to come work for him?
Here let me undercut DA again by offering a free product, I was holding off on announcing this, but my partner and I (if he still wants to work on this after all this nonsense) were planning on releasing the SRD and MSRD for FGII for FREE to the community. Try to help Smite Works sell the product to the masses, utilizing all that FGII has to offer. Go cry foul, go ahead. I still find it silly that you say we ‘undercut’ DA by offering a better product for free, when the source was already a free product.

Now, I am sure “Mr. Melka” or some of his other supporters will now jump on this thread and attack me, but go ahead, I don’t care. I have worked my *** off to support the FG community with many free things to help foster a strong and growing community. Sure we charge a little for some of our stuff, but to date, all that money has been spent on the community (oh and we did buy a couple of FUM shirts for ourselves to wear at conventions), the domain, the hosting, the forum software. All our hard earned money has been spent to merely improve upon the already great Fantasy Grounds Community. Until this latest tirade from “Mr. Melka”, I was going to continue that effort, now, as I grow tired of this going around and around with this nonsense, I may have to rethink that position.

Please consider this my last statement on this, I won’t be replying or acknowledging the many subsequent replies that I am sure this will receive.

[Zane_Marlowe]

It may be that he'll distribute the code via PM rather than in open forum, but I don't know for sure.

[Zane_Marlowe]

If someone else comes along and offers a similar product that you are working on, too freaking bad. The MSRD is OGL, and therefore any monkey can release it, I can’t help it that myself and the gentleman I worked on it with really took to the product and made it shine.

No question that if you've got every right to compete. The point was for context since it would seem strange to most people to be asking for code from a competitor. You entered the market, and then (as you indicated in your longer reply) seemed to think it lacked "community spirit" of some sort for him to not pass out the code that gave him a competitive advantage. I'm sure there's a business lesson in there somewhere too.



We in now way went out of our way to undercut a product DA was working on, we simply saw the chance to offer a good ruleset to the community to foster better gaming and hopefully pull more people into the Fantasy Ground community.

If you'd announced that you were also going to offer it for a competitive price, that would have been better, but market rules do not require this. The point of any claim to "undercutting" is not that you intended to be a jerk (which I actually rather doubt), but that this was the effect, however unforeseen.



Frankly, as the SRD is free, I think it only makes sense to release a free SRD ruleset for FG.

This makes no sense. The content is free, the presentation is not. By this rationale, you could say to the bookstore that they should "share" their copies of books that are in the public domain since they are "free" as well. However, a bound, printed, and nicely laid out copy of (for instance) a Dickens novel is worth something precisely because of those features--presentation, in a word.

Now that doesn't mean that you can't offer it for free as well. The point is that you're making a decision about the value of your labor. It's also true that you're entitled and have every right to do this. I think the issue at the time was timing, since it was so soon after Kevin announced that he was going to do it as a DA product. If it was you, I doubt you'd fail to make a more personal connection than the one you're saying you didn't intend, and I honestly have no idea whether or not you did so intend, but I'll extend you the benefit of the doubt.

Incidentally, I reject the premise that "anyone could have done it" if we're talking about the CSRD and MSRD, since they are longish projects that present no intrinsically difficult technical hurdles (and in that much I'd agree). I'd argue that they were possible only for those who were willing to devote the time, and not many are. If you worked on a version of your own, then you and I both should agree on that--it was rather arduous for me at least.

Ultimately, this is going to end up being a non-issue because DA isn't doing more of the kind of work, and has shifted its focus to licensed efforts. My basic point, which I don't think you quite understood from my last post, is that you shouldn't expect those whom you've made your competitors to share knowledge with you.

[kalmarjan]

Seriously though... This debate has gone on long enough.

Snikle, while you maintained some sense of professionalism by "knocking" out the name of the sender in your private message, you blew this when you went ahead and released the full message. Then you turn around and rant about how "Mr. Melka" (your words) has made you dislike him. My advice?

This business (the one that both DA and FUM are in) is ALL about bridges. Making a statement like the one above will only serve to hurt you in the end.

I respect the both of you, (Kevin and Snikle), but I have just about had it with the back and forth. As things stand right now, Snikle does not have the means to do what he asked the boards. DA does.

Resorting to a flame war is not the way to bridge this gap. Personally, I am all for sharing information. OTOH, I am NOT cool with people attacking each other on line.

The gents at DA are a good lot, Kevin included.

As for business practises... I will leave you with this:

As it stands right now, good luck with getting licences for Gaming Companies. (You know, like WOTC, etc) as these companies have traditionally ONLY licensed to a select number of companies. While you can hold your breath waiting for the final word on permission to "distribute" and "produce" IP material, my advice is to focus on what you guys are able to do right now. (What you are doing) and keep the flame wars off this server.

All this is serving to do is hurt peoples feelings, disrupt our businesses, and show our potential clientelle out there that we are not professional.

Get it?

Sandeman

[joshuha]

I have bought product from both parties in this dispute and have to say that both should not have aired this issue on the forums. It makes me seriously reconsider future purchases from either party.

[Jozie]

All this is serving to do is hurt peoples feelings, disrupt our businesses, and show our potential clientelle out there that we are not professional.

Well said. Since this thread really put the nail in the coffin over my feelings of how Thore_Ironrock has represented his company in the forums both here and in other threads. I am sorry to see this thread had to go in this direction instead of people working together.

I can only hope the rest of the forum does not descend into this kind of flame war over egos. The assistance and general good will expressed in other threads by other users has always been great. I would hate to see the good ones leave.

[kalmarjan]

Let me say this though,


I will never, ever in my life work for you “Mr. Melka”, not if my own children were starving and you had the only job I could work. I hate to say that because I really respect and like many of the people you have had working for you and I am saddened by the fact that I won’t be able to work with them now. I dislike you, your business practices, and your general being more than I can fathom to put into words.

I am a team member for Digital Adventures, and the above post sickens me. What I see here is Thore taking a beating. If you honestly think the guy was that hard up, let me ask you this, "Why would I work for the guy?"

Kevin is a decent man, and he is just trying to run a business. While ranting about business practises in irony while being unprofessional is not very cool in my books. I thought that I would stand back and let this die down, but I cannot let you all hack Thore to pieces over a stupid misunderstanding.

If we really want to get into things, lets start off by asking a few questions here.

Why did Snikle feel the PM was condescending? I read it, and I did not get that. Different people I guess. The last thing I would have done was bring it to the boards though.

In no way should this boil down to a choice. Digital Adventures is a great company that will continue to bring great products for Fantasy Grounds. I am sure that the Four Ugly Monsters will continue to do the same. Kevin has stood alone defending his company against those who would bash him down. (Remember the Gen Con posts?) and for that, I am sorry. I will no longer sit and read posts slandering the guy.

You have your opinion, I have mine. I work with the guy every day, and I have yet to have a problem with him.


Cheers, and heres to hoping that this absurd thread will be closed.

Sandeman

[Toadwart]

Well said Kalmarjan. Thore and Snikle are actually nice guys and both have contributed a lot to the FG community.
Can we just let it go and get back to the game now please?